Check UAE Visa Status Online — by Passport Number, Application Number or Emirates ID
Quick answer
To check a UAE visa status online, open ICP Smart Services (all emirates except Dubai) or GDRFA Dubai (Dubai-issued visas), choose passport number, application number or Emirates ID as the search type, and enter your details exactly as printed on the passport. The result is instant and free.
This page covers every way to check — by visa type, by emirate and by reference number — plus what each status wording actually means. If you also need proof that a visa is genuine, our visa verification expert issues a barcode-verified certificate for AED 10.50.
Which portal should you use — ICP or GDRFA?
The single most common reason a status check returns "no record found" is using the wrong portal. Dubai files live on GDRFA; everything else lives on ICP. Match your situation below.
| Your situation | Portal | Reference you need |
|---|---|---|
| Tourist or visit visa issued through a Dubai sponsor | GDRFA Dubai | Passport number or application number |
| Tourist or visit visa for Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, RAK, Fujairah, UAQ | ICP Smart Services | Passport number or application number |
| Employment entry permit / labour file | ICP (GDRFA for Dubai employers) | Entry permit or file number |
| Residence visa validity or renewal | ICP Smart Services | Emirates ID (15 digits) or passport number |
| Golden visa or dependants linked to it | ICP Smart Services | File / application reference number |
| 48-hour or 96-hour transit permit | ICP or GDRFA (per airline sponsor) | Passport number |
Free official-portal check
- ICP Smart Services — all emirates except Dubai
- GDRFA Dubai — Dubai-issued visas
Best for: applicants waiting on a decision, residents confirming validity, sponsors tracking a file.
Paid verification (AED 10.50)
Need proof a UAE visa is genuine — for an employer, sponsor, landlord or before paying an agent? Our visa verification expert cross-checks the visa with official UAE immigration data and issues an electronically signed PDF certificate with a scannable barcode within 24–48 business hours.
- Upload your visa and passport. Upload a clear copy of the UAE visa and the passport bio page on the eVisas.io verification page.
- Pay AED 10.50. Secure payment for the verification report. No account required.
- Receive a barcode-verified certificate. Our visa verification expert cross-checks the visa with official UAE immigration data and issues an electronically signed PDF certificate with a scannable barcode within 24–48 business hours.
Check UAE visa status by passport number
This is the method most tourists and visit-visa applicants need, and it works even if you have lost the application receipt.
- Open ICP Smart Services (or GDRFA Dubai for a Dubai sponsor) and select the visa / file validity enquiry.
- Set the search type to Passport Information.
- Enter passport number, passport expiry date, nationality and date of birth exactly as printed on the bio page.
- Submit — the current status and validity dates appear on screen with no fee and no login.
Tip: passport numbers with a leading zero must include it. Nationality must match the passport's issuing country, not your country of residence.
Check UAE visa status by application or file number
Use this when a file is brand new and has not yet been indexed against the passport, or when a PRO or travel agent submitted on your behalf.
- Choose Application Status Inquiry on the portal.
- Set the search type to Application Number (also labelled File Number or Reference Number).
- Enter the 13–15 digit number printed on the visa receipt, plus your date of birth.
- Submit to see the exact stage the file has reached.
Check UAE visa status with Emirates ID
Only residents holding a valid Emirates ID can use this route — it returns residence validity and renewal eligibility rather than application progress.
- Open ICP Smart Services and select the Emirates ID / IDN search option.
- Enter the 15-digit Emirates ID number printed on the front of the card (format 784-YYYY-XXXXXXX-X).
- Submit to see residence visa validity, expiry and whether renewal has opened.
No Emirates ID yet? Use the passport-number method above — it covers tourists, visit visas and pending employment files.
What each UAE visa status actually means
The portals return short wordings with no explanation. Here is what each one means and what you should do next.
| Status shown | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Application received | The file has reached immigration but review has not started. | Wait — no action needed. |
| Under process | Immigration is actively reviewing the file. | Wait for the standard processing window to close. |
| Additional documents required | A document was unclear, expired or missing. | Submit the requested document immediately — the clock is paused. |
| Approved / Issued | The visa or permit is granted and printable. | Download the PDF and check the validity dates before booking. |
| Rejected | Immigration declined the application. | Read the rejection reason before reapplying — repeating the same error triggers the same result. |
| Cancelled | The sponsor cancelled it, you exited on a single-entry visa, or it expired. | Do not travel on it. A fresh application is required. |
| Expired | The entry window or permitted stay has ended. | Apply again, or check overstay fines before exiting. |
| No record found | Usually a typo, the wrong portal, or a file too new to appear. | Re-check every character, then try the other portal. |
Cancelled result? See the dedicated UAE visa cancellation check guide. Worried a visa is not authentic? Read how to spot a fake UAE visa. Overstayed? Use the UAE visa fine check.
Check status by UAE visa type
Tourist visa
Tourist visa status moves from received → under process → issued or rejected. Standard processing is 3–5 business days, express 24–48 hours. Once issued the visa is valid for 60 days from issuance and lets you stay 30 or 60 days depending on the type.
Visit visa
Family and friend visit visas are tracked identically to tourist visas. If a UAE resident sponsored you, the status appears against your passport number on the sponsor's emirate portal — GDRFA for Dubai sponsors, ICP for Sharjah, Abu Dhabi and the rest.
Employment visa
Employment status depends on MOHRE quota approval, entry permit issuance, medical fitness, Emirates ID and residence stamping. Each step is visible on ICP or GDRFA. Total timeline is typically 7–15 working days after entry.
Residence visa
Residence visa status shows validity (usually 2 or 3 years) and renewal eligibility. Check it before exiting the UAE for more than 180 days, which can trigger automatic cancellation.
Transit visa
48-hour and 96-hour transit visas appear on the same ICP/GDRFA portals. Status confirms the airline-sponsored permit is active for the planned layover dates.
Golden visa
Golden visa status confirms the 5- or 10-year residency, sponsorship-free status and dependants linked. Status is checked on ICP using the file/application reference number.
Visa came back as cancelled or fake?
Don't travel on it. Apply for a fresh UAE visa directly with us — issued in 3–5 business days, with our refund-on-rejection protection.
Check status by emirate
Dubai — GDRFA
All visas issued through a Dubai sponsor (DXB airport entry, Dubai-based employer, Dubai family sponsor) are tracked on the GDRFA Dubai portal. Use passport number + nationality + date of birth, or the application reference printed on the visa receipt.
Abu Dhabi, Sharjah & other emirates — ICP
All non-Dubai visas — Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah, Umm Al Quwain — are tracked on the ICP Smart Services portal. Same inputs, same instant result.
UAE visa status — FAQ
How do I check my UAE visa status with passport number?
Use the official ICP Smart Services portal (icp.gov.ae) for all emirates except Dubai, or the GDRFA portal (gdrfad.gov.ae) for Dubai-issued visas. Enter your passport number, nationality and date of birth — your current visa status is displayed instantly and free of charge.
How do I check visa status online in the UAE for free?
Yes, checking UAE visa status online is free. ICP Smart Services and GDRFA Dubai both let you check visa application and validity status free of charge using your passport number or application/file reference number. If you need an official certificate confirming the visa is genuine — verified and electronically signed by our visa verification expert with a scannable barcode — eVisas.io offers paid verification for AED 10.50.
How do I check UAE visit visa status by passport number?
Open ICP Smart Services (or GDRFA Dubai if the visit visa was issued through a Dubai sponsor), choose "Passport Information" as the search type, then enter passport number, passport expiry date, nationality and date of birth. Visit and tourist visas both appear under the same enquiry — the result shows whether the permit is under process, issued, used or expired.
Can I check UAE visa status with Emirates ID?
Yes, if you already hold a residence visa. On ICP Smart Services, select the Emirates ID / IDN search option and enter the 15-digit Emirates ID number printed on the front of your card. This returns residence validity and renewal eligibility. Tourists and new applicants without an Emirates ID should use passport number or application number instead.
How do I check UAE visa using application number?
On the ICP or GDRFA portal, choose "Application Status Inquiry", select "Application Number" (sometimes called File Number or Reference Number), and enter it along with your date of birth. Application numbers are usually 13–15 digits long and printed on your visa receipt.
What does "application under process" mean?
It means immigration has received your file and is reviewing it. No action is needed from you. The status will update to "approved", "rejected" or "additional documents required" once the review completes — usually within the standard processing window.
Why does my UAE visa show as cancelled?
A visa is marked cancelled when the sponsor (employer or family sponsor) initiates cancellation, when you exit the UAE on a single-entry visa, or when the visa expires. A cancelled visa cannot be used to enter the UAE — you must apply for a fresh one.
How do I check UAE employment visa status?
An employment file moves through MOHRE quota approval, entry permit issuance, medical fitness, Emirates ID biometrics and residence stamping. Track it on ICP (or GDRFA for Dubai employers) using the entry permit or file number your PRO received. Each completed step changes the displayed status; total timeline is usually 7–15 working days after entry.
How do I check a Sharjah or Abu Dhabi visit visa status?
All emirates except Dubai — Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain — are handled by ICP Smart Services. The inputs and result screen are identical regardless of which of those emirates sponsored the visa.
Can I check UAE visa status without Emirates ID?
Yes. Emirates ID is only required for residents. Tourists, employment-visa applicants and family-visit applicants can check status with passport number + nationality + date of birth, or with the application/file reference number.
What's the difference between visa status and visa validity?
Visa status tells you the current state of the visa or application — issued, under process, cancelled, rejected. Visa validity tells you the date range during which the visa can be used to enter or stay in the UAE. Both should be checked before travelling.
How long does UAE visa processing take?
A standard UAE tourist e-visa is typically issued within 3–5 business days. Express processing can deliver an approval in 24–48 hours. Employment and residence visa decisions depend on medical and Emirates ID steps and usually take 7–15 working days.